Club Tropicana with DIAZ
Nothing says summer tropical more than pineapples and palm trees. Australian designer, DIAZ, has hit the nail on the head (or the umbrella in the cocktail) with her S/S 2012 collection Edo Tropica.
DIAZ, is the label by Sunshine Coast based (QLD, Australia) Ana Diaz. Edo Tropica is her third collection after graduating from Brisbane's QUT Business/Fashion Design Degree in 2010. Ana's graduate collection received rave reviews and was selected for Melbourne Fashion Festival's Graduate Showcase. The fashion festival debuted her talent and individually to the Australian Fashion scene where she was selected by Sportsgirl (think TopShop) to produce a diffusion line of her graduate collection.
Her new collection is based on two main influences, firstly, the cuts, shapes and draping of traditional Japanese clothing. Secondly, the fruit, colours and positive engery of the tropical isalnds of Hawaii.
"After seven weeks at sea, being rescued was akin to a mirage. When they were led to Hawaii - the first Japanese to ever set foot on the islands - their disbelief was apparent. Seeing the landscape the crewmen of the Inawaka-maru thought to themselves, “What paradise is this?”
Palm trees and coconuts lined the beaches, tropical fruit surrounded them, and their senses went into overload".
...a sensory overload of the best kind. Bright colours and fruit inspired prints that feature on signature t-shirts, to-die-for printed swimsuits (in a gorgous 1940's style), block colour trousers and bike-friendly playsuits make Ana's garments some of the most sort after of the season.
For this collection Ana has collaborated with Autralian jewellery design (and fellow QUT graduate), Holly Ryan to produce limitied pieces that include, a twin-set ring, thread earrings and a long necklace (one of each please!).
Continuing with Ana's Edo Tropica theme, here's a cake that will send your taste buds to an inflatable bed on a clear blue ocean, pina colada in hand, wind in your hair and sunshine on your skin, and DIAZ's bikini to boot.
If all this talk of sweet tropical tastes, check out our recipe for Coconut, Lime, Mint and Ricotta Cheesecake with Mint & Brown Sugar Caramlised Pineapple AKA Upside Down Pineapple Cake.
DIAZ+The Bookery Cook= a little something like this....
And here's a nice little tropical tune to cook to- FM Belfast, Tropcial
